In And Out Of Government
So where do all the government people with juice go when their tenures end?
That was one of the questions that came to mind when I read yesterday's announcement that former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge was starting a "D.C.-based advisory firm serving business and government clients."
"The firm will provide a range of services focused on everything from business generation and global trade security to crisis management and technology integration," the announcement said.
The firm, Ridge Global, has a strong cast of connected advisors, including retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, former U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Thomas Collins and former White House Cyber Security Advisor Howard Schmidt. Ridge himself is a consumate former politico. Not only was he the first homeland security secretary, he also served two terms as governor of Pennsylvania.
My colleague Tom Heath spoke to Ridge and his spokeswoman, who made it clear that he intends to take advantage of his ties to government.
"What I am able to do is access individuals and relationships or subject-matter experts with international expertise in a variety of areas because of my work as governor and at Homeland Security," Ridge says in Heath's story today.
There are a lot of consulting and advisory firms in Washington, some of which play pivotal roles in policy and procurement decisions. Ridge's announcement is a reminder that it would probably be fruitful to pay more attention to who these firms are and what they do and the degree to which they rely on their ties inside our very large government.
Any suggestions for other firms to consider? Government Inc. is all ears.
By Robert O'Harrow |
October 2, 2007; 5:59 AM ET
revolving door
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Posted by: Michael Lent | October 2, 2007 7:28 AM
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We need do distinguish between true consulting and lobbying. In sloppy usage, both might call themselves "consulting" firms. Real lobbyists at trade associations, law firms, and lobbying firms, however, are not shy about their lobbying roles--and they need to register on the Hill.
"Government relations" firms pair lobbying and PR, but you would not look to them for consulting, where the stance is supposed to be independent and objective.
The top consulting firms worthy of the name don't lobby. They will do independent studies for lobbying firms, associations, companies and other special interests on, say, the likely impact of pending legislation. But the real consulting firms insist that the chips will fall where they may. It's not unheard of for the paying clients to leave some of those studies in a dark closet because they did not come out the way they wanted.
Influencing legislation or agency regulations or other decisions is a lobbying job. "Consultants" may tee up the facts and analysis for decisionmakers to use in drawing conclusions and recommendations. There's probably less abuse of inherently government functions by consultants than some think. Consultants don't make decisions, but many in Congress and watchdog groups don't believe it.
As for lobbyists, they're only doing their job in trying to influence law, regs, and decisions, and they do a lot of their work pretty much in the open, not furtively in expensive restaurants and resorts.
As for Ridge, his new firm seems to be patterned on Giuliani Partners and related firms in New York. The latter continually, and unusually, appeared to mix consulting with lobbying, as well as create what a federal client (which Giuliani didn't have) would call organizational conflicts of interest because of common investment interests.
Rudy made a bundle, but Ridge needs to recognize he's more Washington than New York focused and the environment is rather different, to say the least.